community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Skamokawa Valley, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (3rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: caneberries (nearest 3.4 mi SW).
When is the honey flow in Skamokawa Valley?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), maples, willows)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (summer-flowering shrubs, maples)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (summer-flowering shrubs, himalayan blackberry)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Skamokawa Valley, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Apr 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, maples, himalayan blackberry, huckleberries; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, himalayan blackberry, huckleberries; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, maples, himalayan blackberry, huckleberries; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Caneberries: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi SW, blooms early Mar – early Jul
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Skamokawa Valley
Mostly: North Pacific Broadleaf Landslide Forest; North Pacific Maritime Mesic-Wet Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest; North Pacific Maritime Dry-Mesic Douglas-fir-Western Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi NW.
How Skamokawa Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 99th | 100th | 79th | 3rd |
| Washington | 97th | 97th | 48th | 3rd |
| Coast Range | 90th | 81st | 70th | 41st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 94% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Skamokawa Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Upper Elochoman 6 mi · Lower Elochoman 7 mi · Cathlamet 8 mi · East Cathlamet 8 mi · Grays River 9 mi · Puget Island 10 mi
All towns in Washington · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Skamokawa Valley (46.3152, -123.4014); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.